On this day in 259 the little known African martyrs Saints Flavian, Julian, Lucius, Montanus, Rhenus and Victoricus achieved their Heavenly reward at the hands of the Carthaginian procreator who executed them before the new proconsul who was to pardon them, arrived from Rome. It is fitting that today also, as the Holy Father arrives in northern Africa where 1,741 years ago these men gave their life for Jesus, so also today there are so many little-known African martyrs in Nigeria, the Sudan, Rwanda, the Congo and numerous other countries throughout the continent. For other time capsule events that happened in Church history on this date, see MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES

Historical Events in Church Annals for February 24:

259 A.D.

Death of the African martyrs Saints Flavian, Julian, Lucius, Montanus, Rhenus and Victoricus at the hands of Carthage procurator Solon who took matters into his own hands against the Christians and expedited persecution while waiting for the new pro-consul to arrive from Rome.

304 A.D.

Death of Saint Sergius of Cappadocia who had been the magistrate of Caesarea but, upon his conversion, became a monk not hiding his allegiance to Christ. For this he was put to death during the ruthless persecution of the Roman emperor Diocletian.

616 A.D.

Death of Saint Ethelbert, Saxon ruler and convert whose baptism by Saint Augustine of Canterbury triggered a mass conversion of ten thousand more and was largely responsible for helping establish Christianity in England.

1208 A.D.

Presumed date that Saint Francis of Assisi received a sign of his vocation in Portiuncula in Italy in the Umbrian region below Assisi.

1296 A.D.

Pope Boniface VIII publishes his papal bull Clericis laicos, intended against his bitter enemy King Philip IV of France. It dealt with the fact that clergy could not be taxed without the consent of the Pope, which Philip had been doing. The eventually results were that Boniface would excommunicate Philip.

Holy Father begins "Jubilee Journey" in a Chaldean atmosphere at Paul VI Hall

Pope John Paul II began his "Jubilee Journey" yesterday at Paul VI Hall by means of a "spiritual pilgrimage" in spirit to the place of Abraham of the Chaldeans. Aided by readings from the Old Testament, enhanced by a giant video screen depicting sites inherent to the "Father of Faith" were shown. Also on display were works by the artist Marc Chagall depicting the angels announcing to Abraham that his wife Sarah will bear him a son. The Pope noted that to all faithful globally, even the Muslim world, Abraham symbolizes the unconditional surrender to the will of God and Yahweh's covenant with the human race, brought to fulfillment by the Word Incarnate, Jesus Christ. continued inside

POPE'S "SPIRITUAL PILGRIMAGE" TO ABRAHAM'S HOME

VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- On February 23, Pope John Paul II carried out
his "spiritual pilgrimage" to the birthplace of the Biblical patriarch Abraham,
traveling "through thought" to Ur of the Chaldeans during a unique ceremony
at the Vatican.

The Holy Father had indicated his desire to make Ur of the Chaldeans, the
home of Abraham, the first step in his Jubilee pilgrimage to "the holy places
tied to the history of salvation." But political complications in Iraq, where Ur
is located, forced the cancellation of plans for a papal visit to the site. The
Pope still intends to visit other sites in Egypt, the Holy Land, Syria, and
Greece during the Jubilee year.

The Pope's "spiritual pilgrimage" to Ur was accomplished with the help of a
giant video screen, installed in the Paul VI auditorium, showing images of
southern Iraq and other sites associated with the story of Abraham. These
images were shown during a "service of the Word" honoring Abraham as the
father of all believers.

"Like us, Jews and Muslims look upon Abraham as a model of unconditional
submission to the will of God," Pope John Paul observed in his homily during
the ceremony. He noted that Abraham left his own land, and began to travel
toward "a Promised Land that he had never seen," in compliance with God's
instructions. He was even prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac, in what the
Pope called "the apogee of Abraham's faith," as well as "an analogy to the
salvific event of the death and resurrection of Christ."

"Through the faith of Abraham," the Pope continued, "God entered into an
eternal alliance with the human race-- an alliance which has its definitive
accomplishment in Jesus Christ."
The liturgical ceremony in the Paul VI auditorium included a series of
readings from the Old Testament, relating to the role of Abraham and his call
from God. These readings were interspersed with periods of prayer and
meditation, accompanied by images designed to encourage reflection on the
life of Abraham.

In addition to the scenes from Ur of the Chaldeans, these
images included scenes from the Holy Land, from the site where Abraham
prepared to sacrifice Isaac, and from the tomb of Abraham in Hebron. There
were also images drawn from the world of art, notably including the painting
by Marc Chagall which depicts the angels announcing to Abraham that his
wife Sarah will bear him a son.

The Paul VI auditorium was richly decorated for the ceremony, with many
symbolic references to Abraham and his covenant with God. About 30
cardinals and 100 bishops participated in the "spiritual pilgrimage" along
with Pope John Paul.

Even before setting foot in Egypt, the Holy Father's visit, which commences today, has sparked positive comments from the leader of Sunni Muslims, Sheik of Azhar, Mohammed Sayyed Tantawi. The Vatican views the Papal trip in the light of open dialogue between Christianity and the Islam faiths by promoting true humility in opening the path to peaceful relations with the same common denominator: God's laws.continued inside.

EGYPT'S SHEIK OF AL AZHAR WELCOMES PAPAL VISIT

CAIRO (CWNews.com/Fides) - Egypt's leading Muslim religious
leader said this week that he welcomes Pope John Paul II's
visit to Egypt which begins on Thursday, calling the
Pontiff a defender of peace, love, and morality.

The Sheik of Al Azhar, Mohammed Sayyed Tantawi, said: "The
Pope is a man of intelligence and wisdom, who defends
peace, love, and moral values and encourages the
propagation of virtues." Tantawi is the leader of the
world's Sunni Muslims, the largest branch of Islam. He will
meet with the Holy Father on Thursday.

The Sheik of Al Azhar, who is known to be affable and
tolerant, had refused to grant a statement on the papal
visit to journalists, but agreed to give the Vatican news
service Fides a written statement. In his message, written
in Arabic, the Sheik explained: "We welcome with joy the
visit of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to Egypt and Al
Azhar ... God, the all merciful, created us in this life so
we may know each other and open our hearts to harmony and
agreement." He quoted a passage of the Koran: "O humanity,
we created you man and woman and made you into peoples and
tribes that you may know one another."

The Sheik also explained that dialogue is part of the
duties of a Muslim and is the authentic Islamic sharia law
"for the good of humanity and the propagation of virtues
sustained by all religions. Dialogue between religions
allows us to listen to each other, to learn about and
compare ideas which commit us in love, truth and justice."
But he also warned about "dogmatic dialogue" which "can
only widen the gap between the interlocutors. Only God can
speak of dogma."

"For Islam all humanity came from the same parents [Adam
and Eve]," the Al Azhar Sheik said. "The Pope's efforts for
peace, love, and moral values and virtues are precisely the
goal of all the revealed religions."

He added, "For our part we wish and work for the
propagation of peace and security in the world. The leaders
of world religions must work together so peace, security,
and love may reign among mankind".

Cardinal Francis Arinze, President of the Pontifical
Council for Interreligious Dialogue, said: "We must thank
God for this historical encounter between the Holy Father
and the Sheik of Al Azhar. The meeting is an indication of
the right path for Muslims and Christians. We must come
together, listen to each other, and try to build a better
world under God's guidance. In religion it is essential to
listen to God and communicate with neighbor."

When the Holy Father meets with President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt today concerns for Christians in this mostly Moslem country will be addressed. The Vatican is calling for the guarantee of Christians' inalienable rights in that area. With the Pope's visit, Coptics and other Christians are hopeful their voice will be heard against the violence that Islamic law imposes upon people, where many have lost their lives in toruture and violence.continued inside.

PAPAL TRIP TO EGYPT WILL GIVE IMPETUS TO UNDERSTANDING WITH ISLAMIC
WORLD

Christians Are Victims of Fundamentalist Violence

CAIRO, FEB 22 (ZENIT).- John Paul II is travelling this week to Egypt, a
country of Muslim majority that plays an important role in the Middle
East peace process. When he meets with religious and civil authorities
-- President Hosni Mubarak will welcome him at the airport -- he will
address the future of this region, where the roots of Christianity run
deep.

The Holy See is concerned for Christians in the area. At present, they
are increasingly marginalized in the Arab world, and even in the Holy
Land. Consequently, the Vatican calls for the guarantee of their
inalienable rights. President Mubarak seems to be in agreement: "The
time has arrived for Muslims, Christians and Jews to live in peace in
the region," he has stated on several occasions.

In particular, Catholics in the Middle East are very pleased with
statements made by Egypt's Grand Mufti Nasr Farid Wasel, an Islamic
authority, who last November declared himself in solidarity with the
Christian community opposed to the Islamic fundamentalists' insistence
on constructing a mosque in Nazareth, a few steps from the Basilica of
the Nativity.

The darkest note is the marginalization that Muslims impose on
Christians as regards public offices. This situation has led to
situations of extreme tension. The Orthodox Copts, who are the great
majority, and Catholics are opposed to fundamentalist pressures to
introduce harsh Islamic laws, including amputation of limbs for theft
and capital punishment for apostasy. In the summer of 1998, in the
village of El Kosheh in Upper Egypt, some 1,000 people were savagely
tortured by the police. At the beginning of this year, 20 persons
violently lost their lives in the same village.

Given the situation, the Pope's visit to Egypt will be of decisive
importance for the dialogue with the Islamic world. The Holy Father is
arriving 15 days after naming a Permanent Observer to the Arab League (a
historic agreement that has gone virtually unnoticed by the world
media), and after signing an agreement with Yasser Arafat, which lays
the foundations for religious liberty for Catholics in the future State
of Palestine -- an agreement that was protested by Israel.

As the Vatican agency "Fides" states, fundamentalism erupted in Egypt in
the 70s, first among Muslims and later among Christians. Above all, this
is a sociological phenomenon -- a response to social changes: the crisis
in the Arab world, the transition from a "soviet-style" to a market
economy, and modernization. In face of such problems, the typical
Egyptian -- famous for his openness and jovial hospitality, has
withdrawn into himself. Ahmad Bahaeddine, a journalist, wrote 15 years
ago: "I don't understand what is happening. Why does Egypt, which has
been able to transform ('Egyptianize') Christianity and Islam, foster
differences today? Why is the accent put on differences rather than on
our common past?"

At present, and for many years, authorities are severely repressing
extremism, but at the local level constant incidents occur. All
Christian churches in the country are guarded by police. But this action
is symbolic, and would be virtually useless if an attack took place.

Although Islam is the official religion, the government tries to play
down antagonisms. The official press always emphasizes coexistence and
publishes Christmas messages of religious leaders; Pope Shenouda III,
leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church, is invited to all ceremonies.

At the political level, the small Christian representation in Parliament
prevents the influencing of legislation, which provokes Christian
rejection of political commitment, increases electoral abstention --
which in Egypt reaches almost 50% (during the Nasser regime,
participation was almost 100%).

Relations between Christian and Muslim intellectuals are good, as they
are united in the struggle against fundamentalism. In this sense, the
culminating moment of the papal visit to Egypt will be John Paul II's
meeting with Imam Mohammed Sayed Tantawi of Al-Azhar, in "Dar al-Islam"
(House of Islam) -- an unprecedented event. Sayed Tantawi is the highest
Muslim authority in Egypt and a point of reference of the old University
of Al-Azhar, which is one of the country's principal religious poles.
The Vatican and this university have created a Joint Commission for
Dialogue between Christianity and Islam.
ZE00022203

According to the Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera the Holy Father has left behind instructions for the Roman Curia in the even he would meet with any kind of peril during his "Jubilee Journey" to Egypt. Taking into account what happened to Abdul Nasser and others in Egypt, the Pope has left instructions with Cardinal Bernadin Gantin, Dean of the College of Cardinals. They reflect normal instructions given in the past when the Bishop of Rome has traveled outside the Vatican. We can take precautions, too, and pray all the harder for the Pope's safety. continued inside.

POPE LEAVES INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE TRAVELING

VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- According to an Italian newspaper report, when
Pope John Paul II departs Rome on February 24 for his trip to Egypt, he will
leave behind instructions to be followed in case he is involved in an accident.

The daily Il Corriere della Sera reports that the Pontiff will leave his
instructions with Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, the dean of the College of
Cardinals. The instructions involve episcopal nominations and other bits of
unresolved business, the paper claims.

The short report in Il Corriere della Sera is unsigned and unconfirmed.
However, the paper reports that it is "habitual" for the Pope to leave such
instructions before embarking on any foreign travel.

Refuting claims that the violence between Christian and Muslim factions in Nigeria are "religious disputes," Archbishop John Olorunfemi of Aguja in Nigeria says that they are actually attempts by political authorities to destabilize the government of President Olusegen Obasanjo. The threat to defeat democracy is quite real, and must be seen in its true light, rather than a clash between followers of Christ and those who proclaim Mohammed in light of the terrible tragedies that have killed hundreds of Catholics and burned a cathedral. continued inside.

NIGERIAN BISHOP: POLITICAL MOTIVES BEHIND VIOLENCE

VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja,
Nigeria, has warned that the recent clashes between Muslims and Christians
in that country have been provoked not genuine religious disputes, but
efforts to destabilize the government of President Olusegen Obasanjo.

Speaking to representatives of the Fides news agency, Archbishop Onaiyekan
said: "There are elements that do not approve of the politics of President
Obasanjo, and are using religious problems to put him in trouble." The
resulting outbursts, he said, are "endangering democracy" in Nigeria.

At least 100 people were killed in Nigeria on February 21, in a series of
bloody clashes that began with Christians protesting against the imposition
of Islamic Shari'a law. The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano said
that the situation was "explosive," and that many Islamic zealots were
attacking Christians with clubs and machetes, and burning down the homes
of Christian families.

However, Archbishop Onaiyekan insisted that the drive to establish Shari'a
law was itself motivated by a desire to undermine the Obasanjo government.
He observed that opponents of the new president are receiving financial
support from abroad. "Everyone knows that Saudi Arabia has promised
economic aid to countries that introduce Islamic law," he observed.

Joining the Holy Father's plea for freedom, Boston's Archbishop Cardinal Bernard Law in his post as Chairman of the International Policy Committe of the U.S. Catholic Conference, has called for the immediate liberation of Archbishop Ktaliko of the Diocese of Bukuvu who was forcefully taken hostage after making statements against the human rights atrocities of the government. He is being falsely accused of ethnic hatred. The cardinal's plea is just one of a plethora coming from bishops all over the world in an effort to free the incarcerated prelate who is, in essence, a political prisoner. continued inside.

US CARDINAL CALLS FOR LIBERATION OF ARCHBISHOP IN CONGO

WASHINGTON, 32 (NE) "I vehemently deplore the recent arrest of
Archbishop Emmanuel Kataliko of Bukavu, in the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DCR)," wrote Cardinal Bernard Law, Archbishop
of Boston and Chairman of the International Policy Committee of
the U.S. Catholic Conference, in a statement issued last week.
In it, Cardinal Law affirmed that Archbishop Kataliko was
unjustly accused of "inciting ethnic hatred, genocide, and
threatening law and order in the region", and is currently
maintained under house arrest. "There are no legitimate grounds
for these accusations", the Archbishop stated.

"This outrageous act on the part of the Rassemblent Congolais
pour la Democratie (RCD) is a direct affront to the Archbishop's
human rights and religious freedom". "It further demonstrates
-the Cardinal emphasized- the gross violations of human rights
by all parties involved in the war which has ravaged the Congo
for more than three years. These violations must be denounced in
the strongest possible way." Cardinal Law also recalled that
Pope John Paul II called the arrest a "grave violation that
painfully injures all Catholics."

The Archbishop of Boston also sent a letter to Ambassador Edith
Grace Ssempala at the Embassy of the Republic of Uganda in
Washington, asking them to use "whatever influence it
might have with the leaders of the Rassemblement Congolais pour
la Democratie to gain the immediate release of Archbishop
Kataliko and the safe return to his diocese."